Good afternoon families of KG1 students. Please read on for a small snapshot of some of the learning that took place this week.
This week, we started thinking about the types of behaviours we want to use in our classroom community to create a happy, safe, and fun environment for everyone. We began by looking at photographs from the internet showing children displaying different behaviours. For example, one picture showed two children fighting over a toy bear, while another showed two children sharing toys as they played. As a group, we discussed each picture and whether we thought the children were making good or ‘not good’ choices. We talked about which of these behaviours we would like to see n our classroom. The children then worked in pairs or small groups to sort the pictures into two sets: good choices and not good choices. The next day, we used this work to create some simple ‘essential agreements’ for our class. Together the children came up with: ‘We are kind.’ ‘We share.’ ‘We listen to our friends and teachers.’ ‘We keep our classroom beautiful.’ and ‘We look after our things and put them away when we are finished.’ Excellent agreements, we all feel.
Sensory play is a crucial part of a young child’s learning experience. It involves activities that engage one or more of a child’s senses. Through sensory exploration, children build vocabulary and communication skills as they talk about their experiences. They also develop motor skills by touching and feeling different materials, thinking skills by asking questions and solving problems, and develop key inquiry skills. This week, the children had the chance to explore “oobleck,” a mixture of cornstarch and water that forms a “non-Newtonian fluid.” This means it behaves like a liquid when poured but can also be shaped into a solid ball for a brief moment. It is a fascinating material to experiment with and so much fun for children. You can see photographs of this messy, and fun experience below.
Reminder: As mentioned in the school calendar and last week’s Broadcaster message from Mr. Robeau, next Thursday, October 3rd, will be a school-free day for students. On that day, teachers will be participating in professional development. As a result, students will enjoy a three-day weekend.
Enjoy the weekend!
Kristina, Buthaina and Rahma
